Hulk Hogan is an American former professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur, and musician. He is widely regarded as one the most popular professional wrestlers of all-time, and is considered to be the most popular wrestler of the 1980s.
Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977, but gained worldwide recognition after signing for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1983. There, his persona as a heroic all-American helped usher in the 1980s professional wrestling boom, where he headlined the first nine editions of WWF’s flagship annual event, WrestleMania. During his initial run, Hogan also won the WWF Championship five times, with his first reign holding the record for the second-longest in company history. Additionally, he is the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches, winning in 1990 and 1991.
In 1994, he departed the WWF to sign for rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Hogan subsequently won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times, and also holds the record for the longest reign in company history.
He returned to WWE from WCW in 2002, and won the WWE championship for a sixth time, before departing in 2003. He was inducted individually into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, and he will be inducted for the second time in 2020 as a member of the New World Order alongside fellow former stablemates Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman.
During and after wrestling, Hogan had an extensive acting career, beginning with his 1982 antagonist role in Rocky III. He has starred in several movies (including No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny) and three television shows (Thunder in Paradise, Hogan Knows Best and China, IL), as well as in Right Guard commercials and the video game, Hulk Hogan’s Main Event.
